(1) Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to disposable skin staplers. More particularly, the invention relates to means and methods of maximizing the volume of clean eco-friendly recyclable parts while minimizing the volume of biohazard material created after use.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Other disposable skin staplers are known in the related art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,378 issued on Oct. 25, 1983 to Warman discloses the use of plastics in making a skin stapler. The use of plastics purportedly makes the Warman stapler disposable. After one use, the entire Warman stapler becomes a biohazard waste product to be disposed of by incineration.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2009/0206137 by Hall et al, published on Aug. 20, 2009 discloses a disposable loading unit for inserting staples into a traditional stapler. While the addition of staples to a stapler may prolong the useful life of a stapler, the stapler contemplated by Hall appears to be devoid of any recyclable components and appears to undergo traditional sterilization procedures before each use.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,793,812 issued on Sep. 14, 2010 to Moore et al discloses a motor driven disposable loading unit for adding staples into a traditional stapler. Here again, no means or methods are even contemplated to recycle parts of the stapler in an environmentally sustainable manner.